The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-03-20
M'KEE RANKIN RAVING.
a PLAY BEHIND THE SCENES SUPPLE
MENTS THAT ON THE STAGE.

HesrtIess Under-sheriff Wright Insists ON
the Settlement of an Attachment, and
Makes an Interesting Cemmo,ien in
the Green Room at the Academy.
While the matinee performance of "The
Golden Gi mt was being performed yester-
day aft moon at the Academy of Music,
another play was being enacted behind the
scenes which the audience did not witness
and which they did not pay to witness
The characters were Mckee Rankin, Under
Sheriff Wright, few female members of
Mckee Rankin's company, and counsellors
Bowen and DENIM. The plot of the play,
though very simple, contained some excit-
ing and dramatic scenes. The history of
the play is as follows: A few years ago a
new theatre was opened in New
York under the name of Mr.. and
Mrs. Mckee Rankin's Theatre. The
Composite Iron Works Co. of New
York, furnished theatre chairs for the
theatre at C 1st of $20.050. Mckee Ran
kin delayed payment of the chairs for SO
long Il at the company was forced to bring
suit to collect it, Many futile efforts were
made 10 serve Rankin with summons,
but he was at last caught about midnight
on the t9th of February, at the Mount
Morris Hotel in New York. judgment by
default was entt red against him in the City
Court of New York, but Rankin did not
pay up. Messrs. Bowen g. DENIM then
learned that he was TO play at tue Academy
this week and entered judgment against
him here and had an attachment issued
against his scenery and costumes used in
his plays.
Az three o'clock yesterday afternoon the
under sheriff and the lawyers entered
the Academy armed with Judgment and
writ of attachment. They went behind
the scenes and,tneIpriYate performar ce was
commenced by The under sheriff, who
waved the writ OF attachment before Nc
Kee Rankin and demanded pay ment of the
claim Mckee Rankin became indignant
and in dramatic cuss words said that he
did not owe aty money and wOnld
| not pay the claim. He further declared
that The cos umes and scenery were
not his properly. and that he was engaged
at salary. Mckee Rankin's part closed
Z here for a time, because he received the
que to appear 10 the public performance.
Bessie Burt then appeared behind the
Genes, arrayed in flowing white dress.
he was not aware that she had part to
trf9rm behind the scenes until the Sheriff
emanded her to hand over her dress. Sac
Indignantly refused to do this, claiming
lat the dress was her private property,
lad with flashing eyes and emphatic stamp
ing of her little slppered feet, concluded
her part by denouncIng the Sheriff and
the lawyers as base conspirators. She then
received a cue and appeared before the
public audience in the character of mild
and abused wife. Mckee Rankin appeared
again behind the scenes to continue his
part in the private play. The Sheriff be-
gan by saying that if Rankin did not pay
up Immediately the public performance
would be stopped. Rankin became
more dramatic, using more naughty
euss words and gesticulating wild
". He strutted around with the
conventional stags stride and acted
the part of victim of base conspira-
tors with excellent effect. But the Sheriff
played his part well, too. and convinced
Rankin that he could not be bluffed. Man.
ager Henderson appeared on the scene
then as the peacemaker. He pointed out
to Rankin where it was to his advantage to
pay the claim, and Rankin Immediately
ceased to act the victim and gave IN to the
base conspirators by paying the sum of
$273.06, the amount of the judgment and
costs.